Name: Heidi Good-Swiacki.
Died: March 25, 2013.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Solvang, California, USA.
Disability: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Details:
Heidi died when her ventilator failed. At the time, she was in the care of her mother and a hired caregiver. The caregiver left to go shopping, and in the meantime, the ventilator failed. Her mother and caregiver were charged with deliberately sedating her and disconnecting the ventilator, but the jury deadlocked on her mother’s trial, and the caregiver’s conviction was overturned.
Heidi wrote a blog using an eye-based input device. In the introduction to her blog, she said, “I will share my ALS story which will hopefully encourage others. It will show that quality of life comes in many forms… Since I have had ALS I have seen many miracles.”
She was a deeply spiritual woman with two children, and she started a company to set up accounting systems for new wineries. Although non-verbal and ventilator-dependent, Heidi saw her life as “filled with laughter, trust and love”.
Case status:
Marjorie Good (Mother); jury deadlocked on involuntary manslaughter charge; charges dropped.
Wanda Nelson (Caregiver), convicted of involuntary manslaughter; conviction overturned because conspiracy could not be proved.
Source:
Case dismissed for caretaker convicted of involuntary manslaughter of ALS patient Heidi Good
Solvang woman acquitted of murdering her daughter
Case dismissed for caretaker convicted of involuntary manslaughter of ALS patient Heidi Good
Tragic Tale of ALS Patient Heidi Good Swiacki’s Death Emerges in Criminal Grand Jury Transcripts
Good Times